Traditional
applications of piezoelectric devices are ultrasonic medical imaging,
ultrasonic non-destructive testing, ultrasonic sensors, vehicle knock sensors,
acoustic devices such as speakers, beepers, ceramic resonators, ultrasonic
welding, ultrasonic cleaning, vibration cancellation, and sonars for military
and civil use. Some new and growing applications include actuators, ultrasonic
motors, sensor arrays for structural health monitoring, oil and gas field
sensors, transformers and micro energy harvesting devices which are an
alternative to batteries in microwatt devices. Other new applications include
high resolution ultrasonic medical imaging, computer disk drives, and
accelerometers in mobile phones and notebooks.

The
piezoelectric device sector is actually not a single sector, but rather
comprises a number of sectors with distinctly different characteristics. The
sectors of most significance are:

the
piezoelectric device sector, with high production volume, consisting of
generic piezoelectric devices such as actuators, motors, sensors,
accelerators, transducers for ultrasonic medical imaging and
non-destructive testing acoustic devices, Lengevin actuators for
ultrasonic welding and cleaning, ceramic resonators, and miscellaneous
types of devices designed for special applications such as transformers,
vibration and noise cancellation in structures limited to different grades
of piezoelectric crystals, ceramics such as PZT, PVDF and composites;

sonars
for military and civil use; and.

niche
applications such as energy harvesting, where piezoelectric devices such
as generators offer a unique competitive advantage.

Piezo
devices also include ultrasonic motors (USMs), which offer a high potential for
miniaturization. These actuators produce no magnetic field since the excitation
is quasi-electrostatic. Through their specific advantages compared to
conventional electromagnetic motors, USMs fill a gap in certain actuator
applications. A key advantage of USMs over electromagnetic motors is their
compactness, i.e. their high stall torque-mass ratio and high torque at low
rotational speed, often making speed-reducing gears superfluous. Additionally,
with no voltage applied, an inherent holding torque is present due to the
frictional driving mechanism. It is also worthwhile to mention that their
compactness and the high frequency electrical excitation make quick responses
possible.

STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

This
study focuses on key piezoelectric devices and provides data about the size and
growth of the piezoelectric devices markets, company profiles and industry
trends. The goal of this report is to provide a detailed and comprehensive
multi-client study of the markets in North America, Europe, Japan, China, Korea
and the rest of the world (ROW) for piezoelectric ceramic, polymer and
ceramic/polymer composite devices, as well as potential business opportunities
in the future.

A
primary objective of this report is thorough coverage of underlying economic
issues driving the piezoelectric ceramic and polymer devices business, as well
as assessments of new, advanced piezoelectric devices that are being developed.
Another important objective is to provide realistic market data and forecasts
for piezoelectric devices. This study provides the most thorough and up-to-date
assessment that can be found anywhere on the subject. The study also provides
extensive quantification of the many important facets of market development in
piezoelectric devices throughout the world. This, in turn, contributes to a
determination of the kinds of strategic responses companies may adopt in order
to compete in these dynamic markets.

Users
of piezoelectric devices in developed markets must contend with twin pressures
– to innovate and, at the same time, to reduce costs. New applications for
piezoelectric devices have been proposed in recent years. This study condenses
all of these business-related issues and opportunities.

The
piezoelectric devices market is a diversified but attractive and still-growing
multi-billion dollar market characterized by very high production volumes of a
diversified range of piezoelectric devices that must be both extremely reliable
and low in cost. Growth in the piezoelectric devices market continues to be
driven by increasing demands in camera phones for autofocus mechanisms, piezo
transformers, energy harvesting devices, data storage, semiconductors,
microelectronics production, precision mechanics, life science and medical
technology, optics, photonics, nanometrology, robots, toys, HVAC control
systems, hand-held consumer electronic devices, automotive sensors, ultrasonic
transducers for medical imaging and non-destructive testing and vibration
related applications, structural health monitoring, ultrasonic welding and
cleaning, ceramic resonators for mobile phones and devices used for information
and communication technologies. Since sonars for military and civil uses and
other applications constitute an established market, we have included this
segment in this report.

The
diversified piezoelectric ceramic device business is complex and fast moving,
with manufacturers increasingly adopting a truly global view of the market.
Around the world, consumers are demanding high power density as well as
extremely long cycle life. In this challenging market, manufacturers have
attempted to achieve growth through company mergers and acquisitions and by
implementing global strategies. Traditional piezoelectric devices have a broad
customer base, and new applications such as ceramic resonators in mobile
phones, transformers in notebooks, and energy harvesting are new areas that have
now entered the mainstream and are showing significant sales volumes.

The
global market for traditional piezoelectric devices is quite mature in
applications. However, the global market for new piezoelectric devices will see
even a much higher growth rate in next five years.

With this background of new emerging technologies, applications
and markets, iRAP felt a need to
conduct a detailed study and update technology developments and markets. The
report identifies and evaluates piezoelectric
ceramic, polymer and ceramic/polymer composite devices and
technologies which show potential growth.

CNTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY

This
study provides the most complete accounting of the current market and future
growth in piezoelectric devices in North America, Europe, Japan, China and the
rest of the world. It provides the most thorough and up-to-date assessment that
can be found anywhere on the subject. The study also provides extensive
quantification of the many important facets of market developments in emerging
markets, such as China, for piezoelectric devices. This quantification, in
turn, contributes to the determination of what kind of strategic response
suppliers may adopt in order to compete in these dynamic markets. Audiences for
this study include directors of technology, marketing executives, business unit
managers and other decision makers in the piezoelectric devices companies, as
well as in companies peripheral to this business.

SCOPE AND FORMAT

The
market data contained in this report quantify opportunities for piezoelectric
ceramic and polymer materials and devices. In addition to product types, this
report also covers the merits and future prospects of the piezoelectric ceramic
and polymer devices business, including corporate strategies, information
technologies, and the means for providing these highly advanced product and
service offerings. This report also covers in detail the economic and
technological issues regarded by many as critical to the industry’s current
state of change. It provides a review of the piezoelectric ceramic devices
industry and its structure, and of the many companies involved in providing
these products. The competitive positions of the main players in the
piezoelectric devices market and the strategic options they face are also
discussed, along with such competitive factors as marketing, distribution and
operations.

The
study will benefit existing manufacturers of piezoelectric actuators,
ultrasonic motors, sensors, transducers, transformers, resonators and micro-
energy harvesting devices that seek to expand revenues and market opportunities
by expanding and diversifying in vast applications of devices based on piezo
materials like PZT, PVDF and composites of PZT and PVDF, which are positioned
to become a preferred solution for many applications. Also, this study will
benefit users of piezoelectric-operated actuators and motors where
electromagnetic field generation is an issue and operational performance
parameters and space are important considerations, such as in autofocus lens
mechanisms of camera phones, nanometrology, precision linear/rotary drives,
drug delivery systems, antenna array deployment, and other fields.

REPORT SUMMARY

The
global market for traditional piezoelectric devices is quite mature in
applications. However, the global market for new piezoelectric devices will see
a much higher growth rate in next five years.

New
applications are emerging for piezoelectric devices, which include applications
based on actuators, ultrasonic motors, sensor arrays for structural health
monitoring, transformers and micro-energy harvesting devices which are an
alternative to batteries in microwatt devices. Other new applications include
high resolution ultrasonic medical imaging, computer disk drives, and
accelerometers in mobile phones and notebooks.

Unlike
other piezo devices, commercialization of piezoelectric-operated actuators and
motors is likely to proceed in those markets where the specific advantages of
high torque, high precision and lack of magnetic interference are particularly
useful. When the costs can be lowered to competitive levels, and remaining
technical problems such as frictional wear can be solved, piezoelectric motors
may also become candidates in areas such as automotive accessories, where very
high volume markets are possible.

Major findings
of this report are:

The
global market for the existing eleven generic types of piezoelectric ceramic,
polymer and ceramic/polymer devices was estimated to have reached U.S. $20.6
billion in 2012 and is expected to reach $38.4 billion by 2017.

Among
the 2012 applications, the largest share goes to equipment for semiconductor
manufacturing and testing, lab equipment, sensors and accelerators. The next
biggest segment is piezo devices used in mobile phones, digital cameras,
laptops and other consumer electronic equipment, where piezo devices used
include six categories of devices – ultrasonic motors, piezo transformers,
resonators, acoustic devices, sensors (primarily SAW sensors), and piezo
generators.This is followed by medical
transducers, mini-grippers, dentist tools, ultrasonic non-destructive testing,
vibration testing, welding and cleaning, telecommunication, traffic control,
piezo print heads, gas ignitions and diesel injectors. Sonar for military and
civil use constitutes the final segment..

Among
the eleven product-type market segments in 2012, actuators have the largest
share of the market, followed by ultrasonic motors, sonar, piezo sensors and
accelerators, acoustic devices, and smaller shares for Langevin actuators,
piezo transformers, resonators and other miscellaneous types.

New
devices such as piezoelectric generators will see the highest growth rate from
2012 to 2017.This category is followed
by ceramic resonators, and miscellaneous applications (acousto-optic modulators
in telecommunication engineering, vibrators, diesel/gasoline injectors and
dentistry surgery tools).